POTENTIAL VERSUS CREDENTIAL

I was privileged to speak at the NYSC camp, Ondo state, and after my delivery some Corp members came to ask me this question, “What do I need to get the job of my dream?” From observation, it is common to first-class graduates to say, “my result is good enough to get me anywhere in the marketplace.” While, on the other hand, the general confession of most second class lower or third class graduate is, “if I can just get any job, I will be so happy.” In addition, few of the most common philosophy and verbal expression of an average Corp member are, ''getting a job is not easy, you need to have the best grade to get the best pay,” “I need someone up to get up,” “I have remained on the ground because of my background.'' And I asked myself, would it be grade or grace? Is it “credential or potential?''

KNOW THYSELF
Affirmatively, I have observed and concluded that one of the tools that help you in getting the right job is your potential and not just your credential. I have defined potential as a credential that will make you influential and essential in life. I think it is very essential that youths should first discover their potential before acquiring a credential; your potential will help you to get to the right market, and display you as the right commodity. But also, there is need for you to discover your location after that you have discovered and refined your potential. Having converted your potential into value, it is also important that you acquire the skill to sell yourself, knowing well that no organization will employ you without perceiving your intrinsic value. No organization wants to pay for liability, they only pay for asset. What are you? And what have you?

Frankly speaking, you need to understand who you are before you can relate who you are; relating who you are and what you have is a great challenge in the labour market. When a man locates his location then his allocation will locate him. There might be conflict when you are trying to know who you are, but there is always a convex after discovery. You need self awareness before employment; finding a job is not as important finding yourself.

FIND YOUR PLACE
Moreover, one of the inherent characteristics of self discovery is that it elucidates where your potential is most relevant and needed. In the discovery of you is the realization of your supposed location and position. Your potential can't be something to everyone, but could be everything to someone. Knowing who you are, what you have and then which company needs that which you have will make a great difference in your career. The ancient book says, “Fools weary themselves because they don’t know the way to town.” But my challenge is that if you don’t know the way, you should know who to ask. Destiny requires Clarity. Every destination needs a direction for the justification of activity.

Many graduates have discovered their potential but some failed to value it. Agree with me that whatever you don't appreciate will depreciate, what you fail to value you devalue, and that which you don't use you will lose. Every man God created is not empty, for you to make impact you need to discover your potential, value your potential, develop your potential, commercialize your potential and share your potential. Every individual has an irresoluble calling or combination of natural and unique talents, and it’s up to us to discover them, refine them, and display them. The value you don’t celebrate will not appreciate.

SHARPEN YOUR SKILL, SHAPEN YOURSELF
Many graduates often attempt to do mighty things with tiny skills, but my challenge has always been how do you do something without having anything? The labour market is a place of exchange; it is a place where we exchange value for value, not certificate for money. And if you must be in that market or for you to get a job, you have to get the value that will attract your employer. Getting a job to me simply require creating value, and communicating that value. And creating value requires that you discover yourself, develop yourself, feed your mind not your tummy, and ingest yourself with relevant information to avoid deformation. Employment, I think, should only be for those who are intellectually capable, not those who are intellectually disabled.

Many graduates have asked me the question, “How do I develop my potential?” and one of my most common suggestions is personal development, the refinement of potential, skill and philosophy. In addition, whatever you yearn for you learn from, and whatever you learn for you earn for. Your potential is the key, discover it and maximize it. I challenge you to challenge yourself that your present condition is not the best, what you have is never enough, get knowledge, get facts, be the best to beat the best, and let what you have attract what you want.
I wish you all the best in your career advancement.

McLawrence Whurley Joseph
+2348030803499
oluwole.joseph@ymail.com